WTR-LABThe Straw Hat Crew's CleanerCh. 222 / 33366.7%WebWeb+AI#222Chapter 221 Arrival in Lovely LandChapter 221: Arrival at Lovely Land"Three Sword Style · Thirty-Six Pound Phoenix!"The sharp sword energy turned into a roaring tornado, tearing through the heat waves and sweeping towards Don Accino!Don Accino's eyes narrowed, and two even hotter, thicker beams of red light erupted from his palms!The astonishing heat not only instantly dispersed and deflected Zoro's slash, but the resulting heat-pressure shockwave also pushed Zoro back several meters, his soles screeching against the floor."Hmph!"Don Accino took a heavy step forward, the floor sizzling where his soles made contact, steam rising and leaving charred footprints.He frowned, his voice filled with the anger of being offended:"You bastard! Did you intend to destroy my precious collection with that last attack?"It turned out that Zoro's sharp slash had not only torn through the thick wall, but the remaining sword energy had swept across the display wall like a roaring dragon—Several pirate flags among Don Accino's prized "collections" were caught in the wake, tearing and shattering with a loud crash, turning into fluttering scraps of cloth.Zoro didn't answer, silently tying his green bandana around his forehead.This simple action was like a switch; as he gripped his sword handles again, the slackness in his eyes vanished completely, replaced by pure, cold focus, and the swordsman's aura surged abruptly."Hoo—!"Two streams of scorching white steam vented from Don Accino's nostrils. He pulled his right fist back, and the air seemed to ignite and distort from the heat of his fist."Scorching Punch!"He threw his punch, not hitting directly, but blasting out visible red heat shockwaves through the air like rapid-fire cannonballs, whistling towards Zoro with a trajectory that distorted the air!Zoro dodged nimbly, avoiding the first heat cannon by a hair's breadth.He crossed his two swords in front of him, the blade of the wado ichimonji flashing with white-gold sharpness, while the blades of the yodo himawariand shura erupted with blazing red and ghostly blue flames respectively—That was the manifestation of the resonance between the blade spirits and the swordsman's Haki! The three-colored lights intertwined, creating an astonishing momentum!"Three Sword Style · Shura Purgatory... Oni Giri!"Zoro's figure spun rapidly in front of Don Accino like a phantom, trailing red and blue afterimages, and then suddenly vanished into thin air!"Swish—!"The next moment, he appeared behind Don Accino, holding his swords out to the sides in a finishing pose, his back to the enemy."Ahh—!"Two deep, cross-shaped wounds appeared on Don Accino's chest!One wound's edge was charred black, as if burned by flames, emitting wisps of black smoke; the other wound was sealed by a layer of eerie, ghostly blue ice.Although no blood flowed out, the pain of the extreme cold and extreme heat invading his body made him scream, and his massive body collapsed to the ground in agony.The floor his knees touched instantly dented and melted from the high temperature radiating from his body."Damn it... I was careless!"Don Accino clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead, and white steam vented from his nostrils again; he was clearly furious to the extreme."Bang!"Just then, the room door was kicked open, and Campacchino rushed in, supporting the injured Blinder."Father, we're ba..."Their words stopped abruptly, their eyes widening in shock at the sight of their father kneeling on the ground with wounds on his chest!"You..."Don Accino slowly stood up, the white steam around him churning more densely. He turned to his two sons and let out a deafening roar:"My birthday present—is it not ready yet?"The steaming heat wave, enough to burn skin, rushed towards them, forcing Campacchino and Blinder to squint and kneel to withstand the pressure."Eek! Father, please calm down! It will be ready soon, the brothers and sisters will be back with the 'gift' immediately!" Campacchino hurriedly soothed him aloud."Cough! Cough cough!" Blinder coughed violently, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth again; his injuries were clearly severe.Seeing his second son's severely injured state, Don Accino forcibly suppressed some of his anger, after all, he had just suffered a significant loss himself.He turned slowly, his hateful gaze locked onto Zoro."Still not down? And you're just a steam balloon."Zoro rested his two swords on his shoulders, assuming the two-sword style "Tiger Hunt" attack stance, his eyes sharp as blades."Ah! Roronoa Zoro? Why is he here?"Campacchino only then realized Zoro's presence and saw the horrifying wound on his father's chest."Steam bastard, go down!"Zoro growled, his figure dashing forward like a leopard!"I remember the mechanism is..."Campacchino looked around in panic, suddenly catching a glimpse behind the curtains. He pulled the curtains open, and there it was—a conspicuous red button! He slammed it without hesitation!"Two Sword Style..."Just as Zoro was about to leap to unleash his slash, the floor beneath his feet suddenly opened without warning!A sense of weightlessness hit him, and Zoro, caught off guard, fell straight into the dark hole that had suddenly appeared!"What—!" Zoro's terrified scream faded quickly in the darkness, and even his signature green hair stood on end in fright."Ah~~~~~~!"His scream grew quieter and quieter in the bottomless vertical shaft, finally disappearing."Creak—Boom!"The floor closed rapidly, returning to its original state, as if the trap had never existed.Zoro had been sent to an unknown place deep within the castle.Campacchino and Blinder breathed a sigh of relief, cold sweat soaking their backs.They hurried forward, using all sorts of words to please and soothe their father, but Don Accino's anger did not easily subside.The exquisite birthday cake on the table had long since melted into a hideous, viscous mess due to the high temperature he radiated.It wasn't until Campacchino cleverly hung the stolen Straw Hat Pirates flag in the most conspicuous, central position on the collection wall that Don Accino's gaze fell upon it, and the suffocating heat and anger in the room seemed to ease slightly.Phoenix Pirates' Wrecked ShipMark took the streamlined white windmill yacht out of the System Space again, letting it land lightly on the water beside the wrecked ship."Let's go! Not being proactive about the feast means something is wrong with your brain."He shouted lazily towards the deck of the wrecked ship."Feast? What's that?"Luffy, lying on the ship's railing, turned his head, his large eyes full of innocent confusion.Mark pointed his thumb in the direction the twin brothers had fled, a cunning curve on his lips:"I heard from those two clowns that today seems to be their old man's birthday."He paused, his tone carrying an enticing implication:"A birthday, surely, means a birthday banquet. A banquet means... endless meat and cake! That's what's called a 'feast'!""Wow—! Bir... birthday cake! Meat! A banquet!"Luffy's eyes instantly turned into the shape of meat on the bone, saliva flowing down like a waterfall.He turned and shouted at Chopper, who was still taking care of the wounded:"Chopper! Hurry! Let's go! There's a banquet!""Oh! Coming!"Chopper quickly finished bandaging Stanson, and ran towards Luffy on his short legs."Take... take me with you!" A firm voice sounded behind Chopper; it was Giro.Luffy, who had already lifted a leg to step onto the railing, pulled it back, turned his head, and looked curiously at this stubborn-eyed boy."Giro..." Chopper called softly, feeling a bit worried."No!"Pajelu immediately shouted to stop him, his voice trembling in a way he didn't even notice."Stay here, don't go anywhere, Giro!"The other members of the Phoenix Pirates hung their heads, the atmosphere gloomy."Captain..." Stanson looked at Pajelu, tears shimmering in his eyes."There's no need to go, Giro!"Pajelu turned his face away, not daring to look directly into Giro's eyes, which were burning with fiery flames. "Because I have already...""It doesn't matter!"Giro interrupted him, forcing a smile full of sunshine and confidence onto his face."As long as our pirate flag can be raised again, Captain, you will definitely return to being the fearless 'Phoenix' you once were! So, I'm going to take our flag back!""Don't say silly things!"Pajelu looked up abruptly at the bare mast, his voice betraying his inner wavering."I have already... given up!" He said the last three words with difficulty and trembling."The word 'give up' is too lame; it doesn't suit you as a Captain at all!"Giro maintained his smile, though large teardrops could no longer be controlled, pattering onto the cold deck."Because Captain, you... are the man who is going to be the Pirate King!"Pajelu trembled violently all over, closing his eyes in pain.Giro continued, with a choked sob:"Although I am still weak and have no skills... but, please wait for me! I will definitely..."Before he could finish—"Bang!"Luffy's fist had already lightly knocked on Giro's head."Eek—!!!""What are you doing, Luffy!" Chopper's face stretched in fright.Giro held his head, turning to look at Luffy, confused and aggrieved."Stop talking to yourself there!"Luffy was rarely angry, pointing his finger directly at Pajelu."The word 'give up' is only for those who have fought to the last moment and done their best! You—"His gaze pierced sharply at Pajelu, "What right do you have to say 'give up'?!""Listen to me, it's not like that..." Giro still wanted to defend his Captain.But Luffy turned his gaze back to Giro, his finger still pointing at Pajelu:"With that look of his, how could he possibly become the Pirate King!"He withdrew his hand, placed it on his waist, and puffed two streams of white air from his nostrils, his voice firm and decisive, carrying an unquestionable Haki:"The one who will become the Pirate King—is me!"Giro was stirred by these words, his blood rushing, and he shoved Luffy hard:"What are you kidding about! I have always believed that Captain Pajelu is the one who will become the Pirate King!"AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashHe threw caution to the wind, facing Luffy's beast-scaring angry gaze, and shouted with all his might:"No matter what you say, I won't hand over my dream to anyone else!"Luffy stared at him, slowly clenching his fist and pulling his arm back to build power."Hey! Luffy!" Chopper tried to stop him in a panic.Everyone on deck closed their eyes, not daring to look at the tragic sight of Giro being sent flying.Giro, who closed his eyes waiting for the pain to arrive, felt something warm and hard gently press against his chest.He opened his eyes and looked down—It was Luffy's fist, but it wasn't open; he was pressing against him with his knuckles.He looked up, and what met his eyes was the bright and gentle smile on Luffy's face."Giro, you're not weak at all."Luffy gently poked Giro's chest with his fist, his voice becoming peaceful and powerful,"In here, you've always possessed something very powerful and very dazzling.""Mr. Luffy..."Giro's tears welled up again, but this time it wasn't sadness or grievance; it was the excitement of being understood."Alright! Let's go get the flag back, Giro!"Luffy turned around and looked toward the distant icy sea, his face returning to that iconic, confident smile full of infinite possibilities."Yeah! Yeah!"Giro nodded vigorously, wiped away his tears, and his gaze became firm again."Hmph! To think they'd dare have a party with our flag, I'll definitely give them what's coming!"Luffy flexed his wrists and nimbly flipped onto the windmill.Chopper and Giro smiled at each other and were about to jump on after him."Giro! Stop! You're no match for them!" Pajelureached out, his voice hoarse.Giro stood on the gunwale, looking back at him with a smile of relief and determination:"Captain, I'm not going to my death. I'm doing this to move forward—Because I am a pirate!"Having said that, he leaped down and landed steadily on the windmill."Set off—!" Luffy waved his hand.The windmill's engine roared powerfully; this time, Mark was at the helm.Without the interference of the Domon Penguins, the speedboat sped like an arrow from a bow, cutting through the waves and racing along the Ice Channel, leaving a white wake."One... two... all for my sake..."Pajelu knelt on the deck in pain, his hands buried deep in his hair.Stanson walked over and gently patted his shoulder.Pajelu slowly raised his head, and the moment he met Stanson's eyes, it was as if something was being rekindled from the ashes.It was a long-lost light called "responsibility" and "resolve."His gaze suddenly became incredibly firm, and though his voice was hoarse, it carried an unquestionable power:"Follow them!"The crew was stunned for a moment, then erupted into a huge cheer: "Oh—!"No power? Then use manpower!They immediately looked for all usable oars and planks and began to row the scarred pirate ship with all their might, chasing laboriously but firmly in the direction where the windmill had disappeared.Lovely LandThe thousand sunny was quietly anchored on the shore outside the castle, looking exquisite and tranquil compared to the massive Yellow Castle.In a gorgeously decorated corridor inside the castle, Robin gently wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead."What's wrong, Sister Robin?" Lilu, walking ahead, turned and asked."Don't you think... it's suddenly become very hot here?"Robin frowned slightly."Could it be..."Lilu seemed to think of something, ran a few steps, stood on her tiptoes, and peeked through a magnificent window.Inside the room, Don Accino's entire body glowed with an abnormal red light, lying on the sofa like a small volcano about to erupt.His twin sons, Campacchino and Blinder, stood cautiously by his side, not even daring to breathe loudly."As expected... Papa is angry."Lilu pulled back her foot and stuck her tongue out at Robin and Merry, who were walking over,"In this situation, it's better not to go near Papa's room.""Is that so?"Robin also caught a glimpse through the crack, but the white mist formed by the heat in the room was a bit thick,additionally, since the Campacchino brothers happened to be blocking part of her view, she didn't see the conspicuous Straw Hat pirate flag."Come play in my room! I have lots of fun things there!"Lilu took Merry's hand with one hand and naturally took Robin's arm with the other, enthusiastically suggesting it and pulling them in another direction.Merry's gaze still lingered on the direction of the room from before—She faintly saw the delicacies on the table before they melted. "Should we... bring some juice to drink on the way?""It's all spoiled by the heat! I have better stuff in my room!"Lilu dragged the two of them away without allowing any argument, their figures disappearing around the corridor corner.Deep within the castle, inside a dark vertical shaft.Zoro slammed the wado ichimonji into the stone wall beside him, the sharp blade scraping a trail of sparks against the rock, barely stopping his downward momentum.He hung in mid-air, with a bottomless darkness beneath his feet."Tsk, so cold..."From the depths of the darkness below, blasts of bone-chilling cold wind carrying a damp scent kept surging up,freezing Zoro so much that his teeth were chattering. It seemed this trap led directly to the castle's ice cellar or underground cold storage."One Sword Style: Flying Dragon Blaze!"Without hesitation, Zoro drew the cursed blade "yodo himawari" with his right hand and slashed with all his might at the opposite wall, which seemed relatively thin! The blazing fire dragon sword energy erupted, slamming hard into the stone wall!"Boom!"A large hole was blasted in the stone wall.Zoro kicked off the wall behind him, pulled out the wado ichimonji using the momentum, and leaped nimbly,landing precisely in the hole he had cut, escaping the cold trap.Outside the castle, beside the thousand sunnyThe blue shark submerge no. 3 silently surfaced. On its back,three "ice sculptures" of various shapes were firmly "fixed" with ropes—these were the captured Sarugo, Alubell, and Hokuru.Due to limited space inside the submarine, these three captives could only enjoy "external" treatment."Creak—" The hatch opened upward."Thud!"Sanji, with a head full of lumps and a charred face, was unceremoniously "thrown" onto the snowy shore by Nami."Miss Alubell!!"Sanji scrambled up, his gaze immediately locking onto the purple-haired beauty tied to the shark's back, and wanted to rush over in heartbreak.Nami poked her head out of the hatch, looked at Sanji's state, and curled her lip in disdain:"Sympathizing with the enemy? I really don't know what's inside that head of yours!"She nimbly jumped ashore and walked up to the three captives. The tip of her clima-tact began to crackle and pop with blue electric arcs."Zzzzt!" After a round of efficient and brutal electrotherapy, all four of them, including Sanji who had just approached, had their hair standing on end and faces charred.The effect was immediate; Alubell's fingers were the first to twitch.Nami kicked the meddling Sanji aside and pressed the sparking clima-tact directly against Alubell's forehead, saying fiercely:"Hey! Wake up, you shameless woman! Talk!"Alubell's eyelids fluttered and slowly opened, and what met her eyes was Nami's pretty face and the jumping electric sparks."Talk... talk about what?" She instinctively turned her face away, maintaining her last bit of stubbornness."Where is your treasure vault?!" Nami stepped closer, the electric sparks intensifying."Hey! Nami..."Usopp suddenly appeared from the side. Looking at the "interrogation under torture" scene before him, black lines slid down his forehead,"Aren't we here to find the flag? How did it turn into looking for a treasure vault...""Ow! Looks like Nico Robin and the others have already arrived!"Franky's booming voice rang out. He had just jumped down from the thousand sunny,already having retrieved the shark submerge no. 3and finished refilling his cola energy. Now refreshed, he struck his signature pose,"I feel SUPER strong right now!!""You actually dare to deliver yourselves to our doorstep..."Although Alubell was a prisoner, her mouth remained tough. She looked coldly at everyone,"Papa and my brothers will definitely not let you off!"Just as Nami raised an eyebrow, considering whether she should let this stubborn woman taste the "Thunder Metallurgy" again—"Crackle..."A patch of flat snow by her feet suddenly moved without warning and then split open!"What?""There's something!"Usopp and Nami were both startled. They quickly stepped back, gripping their weapons tightly, staring alertly at the cracked snow, fearing some tundra monster would crawl out.The snow slid down with a rustle. From the crack, a clump of... green, seaweed-like stuff stubbornly emerged, swaying slightly in the cold wind."Ah—!""A monster! It's a green snow monster!"The startled Nami and Usopp didn't have time to look closely. Out of self-defense and a bit of overreaction,gripping their clima-tact and slingshot—Usopp even pulled out a hammer—they reflexively started whaling on that clump of "green grass"!"Bang! Bang! Clang! Thud...!"After a storm-like "beatdown," several steaming, freshly-made lumps quickly rose from the clump of green grass...At that moment, the clump of "green grass" suddenly shot upward!"Eek—!"Nami and Usopp screamed in fright and hugged each other.The surrounding snow tumbled down, revealing the full appearance of the "green grass"—and beneath the green grass, that face they knew all too well, which was currently filled with a sense of resignation and anger.The Straw Hat Pirates' combatant, Roronoa Zoro,sporting a mess of green hair and several brand-new red lumps, looked at the two hugging each other in a daze:"Where... is this again?"The scene fell into a deathly silence."Eh?""Eh—?Zoro!!!"
Chapter 222: The Phoenix Returns"Ow... did someone hit me on the head while I was stuck?"Zoro pouted, his eyes sweeping over his companions with ill intent, his hand still clutching the fresh bump on top of his head."No, no, no! Absolutely not!"Nami and Usopp instantly stood at attention in front of Zoro, their palms waving frantically in front of their mouths as they denied it in unison with deadpan expressions,"An illusion! It must be an illusion.""Is that so..."Zoro narrowed his eyes, his suspicious gaze scanning back and forth between the two, making Nami and Usopp's skin crawl and causing cold sweat to break out."Hey!" Zoro suddenly barked."Eek!!! Wh-what is it?" Usopp and Nami jumped back two steps in fright, their faces written with terror."What are you looking at? Hurry up and get me out of here! You bastards!" Zoro shouted, veins popping on his forehead."Oh! Oh-oh! Coming! We're coming!"Usopp and Nami felt as if they had been granted a reprieve. They quickly circled behind Zoro, exchanged a look, and breathed a long sigh of relief.The two grabbed Zoro's Marimo head and, shouting a rhythmic chant, pulled like they were uprooting a radish.With a "Heave-ho," they yanked him out of the hole in the ground.Sanji and Franky also walked over. Zoro patted the snow off his clothes and scanned his companions.Finally, his gaze landed on the direction of the bare mast of the thousand sunny, his voice filled with undisguised disdain:"You guys couldn't even protect a single pirate flag... How utterly disappointing.""Huh? What right do you have to talk about us? Didn't you also return empty-handed?"Sanji immediately stuck out his chin in defiance, delivering a precise counter-attack."Huh? You wanna go, you bastard?!"Zoro, not to be outdone, thrust his chin forward as well, their foreheads nearly colliding."You think I'm afraid of you?!"Sparks flew between their gazes, and they began clashing "ping-ping-pang-pang" at the slightest provocation."What should we do with these three? Just throw them into the sea to feed the fish?"Franky pointed his thumb at the tied-up Sarugo, Alubell, and Hokuru on the ground and asked Nami."Don't worry about them; they're just prisoners."Nami glanced at the giant yellow castle, then turned to the fighting Zoro and Sanji, her brow furrowed,"You two, stop fighting! Zoro, do you know exactly which room our pirate flag is in?"Zoro and Sanji didn't react at all, still immersed in their childish "you kick, I block" duel.A cross-shaped vein popped on Nami's temple, lightning flashed in her eyes, and her figure vanished instantly!In the next second, she appeared between Sanji and Zoro as if teleporting. Her hands, wreathed in blue electric arcs, grabbed both their heads with swift precision and slammed them together!"Thud!"The two heads collided solidly, letting out a dull thud.Their two handsome faces were inches apart, their lips nearly touching."Pfft..." To the side, Usopp covered his mouth tightly, his face turning red as his shoulders shook violently."Ow! Super—bromantic collision!" Frankyimmediately struck a pose and cheered loudly."Bleh—!!""Bleh—!!"Sanji and Zoro quickly separated, both turning and bending over to retch into the snow, their faces turning pale."So disgusting!""Bastard! It's the taste of a Marimo...""Alright! Now, answer me, Zoro,"Nami clapped her hands, returning to a serious expression. "Do you know which room in the castle our pirate flag was put in?"Just as she finished speaking—"Give me back—my pirate flag—!!!"Luffy's piercing, drawn-out roar, like rolling thunder, came from the distant sea level and echoed clearly across the empty ice field and the castle above.This voice was like an alarm, instantly making everyone in the Straw Hat crew present tense up!"Aaah! What do we do, what do we do! Luffy is really here!"Usopp clutched his head, running back and forth in the snow like a headless chicken, falling into a panic."Quick! Stop dazing! Follow me! I know which room the flag is in!"Zoro gripped his sword hilt with a "shing," his eyes turning sharp. He turned and charged toward a side door of the castle."Wait for us!"Seeing this, the other companions didn't have time to think and immediately started running, quickly following Zoro's lead."Hey! Nami!"While running, Usopp suddenly remembered something and reminded her with a grim face,"Is it... really okay to let Zoro lead the way?"These words were like ice water poured over their heads, causing Nami, Sanji, and Franky to slip simultaneously, nearly falling.A grim and desperate fact surfaced in everyone's minds:The person leading the way is Roronoa Zoro! That world-class lost cause who could get lost and walk in the opposite direction even on a straight line!At this thought, everyone couldn't help but gasp."Sh-shut up! This time is different! I remember it very clearly!"Running in front, the tips of Zoro's ears turned red, and he turned back to roar in embarrassment and anger."Stop dallying and discussing this! That idiot Captainis really about to charge over!"Sanji looked back at the sea and urged them anxiously.On the sea, the windmillLuffy stretched his rubber neck, peering out like a lookout tower, his upper lip curled over his lower lip, his eyes wide and round."Hey! Mark, Chopper! I think I see Nami, Zoro, and the others! Over by the castle!""Really? Where?"Chopper immediately stood up, his small pink-blue nose twitching in the cold air as he carefully identified the scent,"Yeah! It really is their scent! And Sanji, Usopp, Franky... everyone is together!""Full speed ahead—!!"Luffy sat back at the bow excitedly, his rubber arms stretching forward forcefully, as if that could make the ship go faster.At the top of the castle, in the room filled with pirate flagsBeneath the Straw Hat Pirates' flag, Don Accino's massive body suddenly bounced up from the sofa.He walked to the wall with heavy steps and peered out through the conspicuous crack Zoro had cut earlier, narrowing his eyes.On the sea, the thousand sunny was anchored quietly, while a small white speedboat was cutting through the icy waves, rapidly approaching."Hehehe..."A low chuckle rolled from his throat. "It seems the 'gifts' are delivering themselves to my doorstep.""Father, catching them is only a matter of time," Campacchino standing by, comforted him respectfully."Mhm..."Don Accino pushed up his glasses, a cold light flashing across the lenses,"I was too impatient when I got angry at you just now. Now, it's perfect to make them all'souvenirs' in my collection room."Inside the castle, stairs and corridorsZoro and his group were sprinting through the intricate stairs and corridors.However, under Zoro's "determined" lead, their position seemed to be getting further and further off course."Quick... we have to be faster! We must get the flag before Luffy finds out! Otherwise..." Usopp was running out of breath but still shouted with effort."Leave it to me!"Zoro turned right at a staircase without hesitation,"Keep up! The target room should be on this floor!""Great! Charge!" Usopp felt energized upon hearing this."'Should be'? What do you mean'should be'?!" In the corridor, Nami's brow furrowed even tighter, her ominous premonition growing stronger."I bet my pride as a chef that this Marimo is definitely lost again."Sanji could barely keep his cigarette in his mouth, his tone incredibly certain.They passed through a long corridor decorated with pink wallpaper and arrived at a strange circular space.Everyone had to stop, looking around blankly.This place looked like an indoor sky garden with a small withered flowerbed in the center, and around it... there were actually seven or eight identical-looking heavy wooden doors distributed evenly!"Wh-what is this place?"Usopp looked left and right, his gaze finally landing on the back of Zoro, who was also looking around,"Zoro! Which door is it exactly?""What the hell are you in a rush for! Let me think!" Zoro scratched his green hair irritably."How can I not be? If we don't hurry, Luffy and the others will tear down the castle gates!" Usoppcouldn't help but complain.Just then, a golden light flashed in Zoro's eyes. He strode confidently toward the third door on the right and kicked it:"This is definitely it!""Bang!"As the door was kicked open, Zoro had already "shing-shing" drawn two swords, striking an offensive pose and shouting into the room:"Prepare to die! You steam-balloon bastard!"However... the only response he got was silence.Inside the door was a storage room filled with grain and miscellaneous items. A gray rat was startled and scurried through the corner with a "squeak."The embarrassment on Zoro's face flashed and vanished. He quickly regained his composure and, even more "certainly," turned around and pushed aside his speechless companions:"No, it's this way! It must be the room directly opposite!" he said, charging toward the door on the opposite side of the circular space."Zoro, wait!"Although Usopp was full of doubt, he nervously pulled back his slingshot and followed closely.Zoro kicked open the door again—What met their eyes was a children's playroom filled with colorful bubbles, stuffed toys, and building blocks.Several dolls "looked" innocently at the swordsman who had burst through the door.For the first time, Zoro's expression showed clear wavering and confusion:"C-could it be... the left?"Refusing to believe his luck, he rushed toward a door on the left. This time, he didn't even bother using his feet; with a flash of his swords, he directly slashed the door open in two strokes!"Puff—!!!"The moment the door was kicked open, the flour bags piled behind it, which had been sliced by the sword aura, exploded!Snow-white flour erupted like a volcano, completely burying Zoro and the closely following Usopp.After a while, two "white men" walked out of the flour mist coughing. Zoro, with a head of "white hair," had a stiff expression.Sanji knelt down, pinched a bit of the scattered flour with his fingers, rubbed it between his fingertips, and his eyes lit up:"Oh? It's actually high-grade flour! The quality is good... If only that guy Mark were here, he could collect it."Nami crossed her arms, her eyes already closed in a desperate "as expected" expression.Zoro looked up at the ornately decorated ceiling, as if he had found the key to the problem:"I see... As I thought, we missed a floor earlier!""Who would believe your nonsense at a time like this!!!" Usopp, now "White-sopp," roared in complaint while spitting out flour."Hey, have you guys had enough? Isn't there any reliable clue?"Sanji looked around at the desperate circular space and the doors."At this rate, it'll be dark soon!" Franky pointed to the sun gradually setting in the west outside the window."We have to speed up! If Luffy finds the flag first and discovers we lost it..." Nami was halfway through her sentence—"Give! Back! My! Flag—!!!"Luffy's even clearer, closer, and anger-filled roar came directly from below the castle like a thunderclap, even making the glass windows in the corridor vibrate.Nami jumped in fright, her hair nearly standing on end!Below the castle, in the snowy plazaCampacchino was alone—his other brothers had been sent to the infirmary by Blinder—standing in the way of Luffy, Mark, Chopper, and Giro."You really dare to barge in so brazenly, Straw Hatboy." Campacchino crossed his arms, trying to create a sense of pressure."Huh??"Luffy completely ignored his provocation, instead tilting his head curiously and looking at the brightly colored, exaggeratedly shaped giant castle,"Is this that 'Lovely Land' or whatever?.""That's right! This is Lovely Land, the territory our Achino Family is proud of! How is it, magnificent, isn't it!" Campacchino spread his hands proudly."It's ugly." Luffy dug his nose and gave a very honest evaluation."Ah—?"Campacchino stumbled from the unexpected answer. After finally steadying himself, his mouth twitched,"N-not bad for a great pirate with a bounty of 600 million Berries... Even your psychological attacks are this powerful!""No, no, no, I didn't do anything."Luffy waved his hand with a "what are you talking about, I don't understand" expression.High in the castle, the circular corridorAI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-lite"Nami! Oh no!" Usopp peeked through an arched window, then scrambled back, his face deathly pale."The—the worst-case scenario! Luffy and the others are already down there clashing with that guy in the blue clothes!""This is really trouble now..." Nami rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on."Tch!" Zoro clicked his tongue in annoyance, spun around, and ran toward the stairs he'd come from."Hey! Where are you going?" Franky called out to him."Do you even have to ask?" Zoro didn't even look back, his voice ringing out."No matter what, I'm going to retrieve our flag myself before that idiot Captain interferes!"His tone was unusually firm, as if nothing could make him get lost this time."Hmph! Then hold onto that resolve and wander around this castle until you die of old age!" Sanjiglanced up at the stairwell where Zoro had vanished, mocking him."Shut up, you shitty cook!" Zoro's voice drifted up from below the stairs, fading away.Immediately after, there was a faint "bang" of a door being kicked, followed by his confused mutterings: "Huh? Where is this place?""Clomp, clomp, clomp..." Just then, a steady, familiar sound of footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor."Robin!" Nami looked toward the newcomer with pleasant surprise."Miss Robin—!!" Sanji's eyes instantly turned into hearts, and his body twisted into a pretzel. "To see you safe and sound again, I'm just so happy!""I've been looking for you all for quite a while." Robin walked over to Nami with a smile."Miss Robin, where is Merry? Isn't she with you?" Nami looked behind Robin."She's having a great time playing with that little girl named Lilu. Thanks to that, I've been able to move around quite freely," Robin explained softly."Lilu?" Nami was a bit confused.Robin didn't offer more explanation; time was of the essence. "It seems Luffy has arrived and has officially begun the 'Flag Retrieval Operation'.""Exactly! We're doomed!" Usopp pressed his fists against his chest, looking as dejected as if the world were ending.Nami, however, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, they had regained their composure and a hint of cunning: "No... there might still be a chance."A familiar, confident smile—one belonging to the "Cat Burglar"—tugged at the corner of her mouth. "After all, he is Luffy. Trying to bluff our way through... it's actually not as hard as one might think.""But... Mark is there too." Sanji lit a cigarette and frowned as he reminded her. Mark wasn't as easy to fool as Luffy."I'll leave Mark to you, Sanji." Nami patted Sanji's shoulder with a cunning smile. "Make a few of his favorite high-end dishes, and I guarantee he'll forget everything. That guy is essentially a glutton who hates trouble; as long as he's fed, he won't bother meddling or exposing us.""That makes so much sense! As expected of Miss Nami! Leave it to me!" Sanji was instantly energized, already conceptualizing a menu in his mind."Although I don't know where Luffy found out about the missing flag," Robin said with an elegant smile, analyzing the situation calmly, "he hasn't seen with his own eyes that our mast is empty, nor has he seen the flag hanging on the enemy's wall.""So, we still have plenty of room to maneuver and plenty of time!" Nami picked up the thread, her smile growing even brighter, as if she could already see the dawn of victory."I know exactly which room the flag is being kept in." Robin calmly dropped the key information."Really?! That's great! Long live Robin!" Usoppjumped up in excitement."As expected of Robin! So reliable!" Nami was also overjoyed."Having Miss Robin lead the way is ten thousand times more reliable than some Marimo!" Sanjirubbed his chin and concluded triumphantly.Meanwhile, in a gym in a remote corner of the castle. "Clang!" Zoro kicked open a door, panting, and froze instantly at the sight of the neatly arranged barbells, dumbbells, and treadmills inside."Damn it! Still wrong!" He scratched his scalp irritably, looking at the completely unfamiliar environment before him with a face full of frustration.In the circular corridor on the other side of the castle, Nami, Robin, Sanji, Usopp, and Franky had quickly gathered, heads together, and began quietly and efficiently formulating their "Emergency Flag Retrieval and Bluffing Operation" plan."Before Dad takes action himself, we brothers will be your opponents!" Campacchino's body flared with a deep blue light. He suddenly raised his hand and grasped at the castle wall— "Magnetic Summon!""Boom!" The wall shattered on cue, and a blazing red light whistled out from the hole like a cannonball, landing precisely beside Campacchino. It was none other than Blinder, who, despite his unhealed wounds, had reignited his will to fight!The moment Blinder landed, he pulled a special whistle from his chest and blew it hard! The shrill sound pierced through the cold wind. "Gaa! Ga-ga—!" In an instant, the ice field around everyone seemed to come "alive."From beneath the sparse, soft snow, countless blue figures broke through! There were hundreds of Domon Penguins with vicious eyes and beaks like razors, rapidly closing in on Luffy and his group from all directions like a well-trained army!"These aren't just wild cannon fodder," Blinder said, a cruel and proud curve forming on his lips, "this is the Elite Penguin Unit, trained over a long period of brutal conditioning by our Achino Family!"He licked his lips and added with a sinister tone, "I'll give you a friendly warning: these little cuties... haven't had a proper meal in several weeks.""Penguins?" Mark rubbed his chin, his eyes lost in serious thought, completely ignoring the approaching threat."Wild, plenty of exercise, low body fat due to long-term hunger... this means..." His eyes suddenly lit up as if he had discovered treasure. "The meat must be firm and springy! If slow-roasted over fruit wood, served with lotus leaf pancakes, sweet bean sauce, scallion strips, and cucumber strips..."The more he spoke, the more excited he became, and an invisible "Gourmet Domain" seemed to radiate from him.Those Domon Penguins, originally charging aggressively with vicious glares, suddenly halted their momentum. Collectively, they felt a kind of primal fear that transcended natural predators and began to tremble!"My little darlings," Mark stepped forward, his voice unusually "gentle," while his eyes flashed with the red light of seeing top-tier ingredients, "it's too cold outside. Why don't you come to my place... and warm up? We have fresh firewood, and I guarantee I can roast you to...""Ga-ga-ga—!!" The penguin unit completely broke down. Fear overwhelmed their training, and they turned and fled in every direction!"Trying to run?" Mark chuckled, unhooked Ink Meteor from his waist, and casually flicked it forward— "Go!"The black liquid substance instantly expanded and deformed in mid-air, transforming into a majestic and ferocious black Taotie beast. It landed with a heavy "thud," its sharp claws plowing deep furrows into the ice.It glanced back, and its molten gold eyes swept coldly across the scene. An invisible pressure, like tangible shackles, froze the fleeing penguins in place, unable to move."What a bunch of useless trash!" Campacchinolooked at the instantly routed elite unit with disappointment and anger. "In the end, we still have to rely on ourselves!"Before he finished speaking, the two brothers leaped into mid-air simultaneously. Red and blue lights intertwined, and their bodies clung together like magnets, beginning to spin at high speed!"Brother Combo Technique: Magnetic Love Bazooka!" The colorful, red-and-blue spinning top let out a shriek that tore through the air, crashing straight toward Luffy below like a meteorite!Before the attack arrived, the follow-up killing move was already unleashed! "Follow-up: Love Cross Strike!" A scorching red cross-shaped shockwave exploded at Luffy's position first, sealing off his space for evasion!Luffy reacted extremely quickly; his rubber body bounced up, narrowly avoiding the cross explosion. But following closely behind was a sharp flying kick from Campacchino, powered by the rotation!"Love Hunter Flying Kick!" This kick landed solidly on Luffy's crossed, blocking arms. The immense impact sent Luffy flying like a baseball, crashing into the distant ice with a "bang," stirring up a sky full of ice mist."Luffy! Are you okay?" Chopper looked back worriedly."The 'No-Damage-in-the-Smoke' law; don't worry." Mark waved his hand calmly, his attention still on the shivering penguins. "Chopper, Giro, you two go to the right and block the gap. Don't let my 'ingredients' run away.""You're actually planning on eating them?" Chopper's mouth twitched, but he obediently took Giro and ran to the right, forming a triangular perimeter with Ink Meteor.Having landed the hit, Campacchino did not pursue. Instead, he reached out in mid-air—activating his magnetism to "suck" Blinder, who was embedded in the ice, back to his side. The two floated side-by-side, looking down at the battlefield with absolute confidence."Yeah—! This is the true seamless power of us brothers!" Campacchino's voice was loud and clear. "As long as we two are of one mind, there's no battle we can't win!"Luffy climbed out of the ice pit and patted the ice shards off his body. There was no anger on his face; instead, he frowned and asked seriously: "That move of yours... your Shadow Clone Jutsu is really useful!""We told you we're twins! We're two people! It's not a clone jutsu, you bastard!!" The two brothers roared in unison, infuriated by his persistent misunderstanding."How did you practice it!" Luffy ignored them completely!"Can you actually listen to people when they talk?" Blinder roared, clutching his aching chest.On Mark's side, they had already begun to "close the net." He, Chopper (in Human-Beast form), Giro, and the massive Ink Meteor each guarded a side, driving the terrified penguin flock toward the fourth corner—where Mark had somehow constructed a giant "goal" using ice pillars and ropes."Goal—!" Mark charged into the penguin flock, kicking one after another, accurately sending the blue-and-white "penguin balls" toward the goal. Chopper also swung his fists, knocking one little guy away with each punch. Giro was responsible for cleaning up, picking up the dazed penguins and throwing them into the goal. The scene shifted from a life-and-death battle to a joyful penguin soccer match.Just then, the sound of breaking waves echoed, and the battered ship of the Phoenix Pirates finally arrived with difficulty."Giro—!" Pajelu stood at the bow and shouted to the boy on the shore."Captain Pajelu!" Giro turned back in pleasant surprise."Ah—!!!" Pajelu had no extra words. He let out a long-suppressed roar toward the sky, suddenly raised his hand, and ripped the bandages wrapped around his head!On his forehead, the blood-red Phoenix tattoo, wings spread as if about to take flight, was finally exposed once again to the biting air, as if ignited by its owner's resolve.He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over every comrade who had endured hardships yet followed him to the end, his eyes filled with guilt and the resolve of rebirth."I'm sorry, brothers... I, Pajelu, have been a foolish Captain! I actually... betrayed the trust Bigala bought with his life, and betrayed your waiting, which you have never regretted!"His voice was choked with emotion yet loud, carrying the power of breaking out of a cocoon."But... but even so, I still want him to see! I want Bigala, sleeping in the New World, to see—our flag, the flag of the Phoenix Pirates, will definitely fly high once again above the sea where he rests!""Captain...!" All the crew members were moved to tears, unable to contain their excitement. The Captain they were familiar with, the proud one who shone like a Phoenix, had truly returned!"Alright! Giro," Pajelu looked at his young crew member and revealed a long-lost smile, full of confidence and leadership charisma, "let's fight side-by-side and take back the 'wings' and pride that belong to us!""Cap... Captain!" Giro straightened his chest and gave a pirate's salute with all his might, tears mixing with his smile, "Understood—!!"
Chapter 223: Luffy vs. Don Accino"Straw Hat, to repay your kindness, please leave the upcoming battle to us!"Pajelu led all the members of the Phoenix Pirates, with Giro following closely by his side, and they walked toward Luffy and the others with an imposing aura.Luffy turned his head and looked at this "Phoenix" who had straightened his back once again.The corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily, revealing a bright smile without a trace of gloom:"Hehe, is that so! Then I'll leave it to you!""Ha—!"Just then, Usopp, Nami, Franky, and Sanji appeared in unison at the main entrance of the castle, as if they had planned it.Their only mission at this moment was to stall Luffyat all costs until Robin successfully retrieved the flag!"Hey! You guys..."Luffy frowned, just about to ask for details about the missing pirate flag, when his words were immediately interrupted by Usopp's exaggerated exclamation."Hey—! Mark! Chopper! What are you two doing over there?"Usopp was acting at full capacity, his fingers trembling as he pointed in the direction of Mark, his expression terrified as if he had seen a sea monster."Huh? What?"Luffy's attention was indeed drawn away; he tilted his head, his eyes instantly widening like copper bells."Wow—! So many penguins! They look so delicious!" He immediately threw his questions to the back of his mind and waved enthusiastically at Mark, shouting,"Catching so many penguins! Are you planning to make an all-penguin feast?""Penguin cuisine?"Hearing this, Sanji glanced over, his brow then smoothing out as he understood.He turned to Nami and Franky, gave them a wink, and waved his hand stylishly."I'll leave this to you guys; I'm going to complete my'special mission'."With that, he walked toward Mark."Oh! Super—! Leave it to us!"Franky slammed his mechanical arms together, sending snowflakes flying."Finally managed to bluff our way through the first hurdle..."Nami patted her chest lightly, let out a long sigh of relief, and cast an approving look at Usopp."Well done, Usopp!""That goes without saying! Don't you know who's on the job!"Usopp's nose tilted proudly toward the sky."The legendary 'Ultimate Attention Deflection Expert', that's none other than me, Captain Usopp!""Don't get carried away!"Nami shoved him impatiently."Go and keep distracting Luffy! The second stage of 'Operation Stall the Captain' is up to you!""Can't you be a little gentler? Seriously!"Usopp stumbled from the push, but after steadying himself, he turned around with an incredibly confident smile on his face and gave Nami a thumbs up."Rest assured! Watch me!"However, when he finished posing and looked, Namiand Franky had already slipped quietly into the castle, leaving him alone.Usopp awkwardly touched his long nose, coughed twice to cover his embarrassment, then adjusted his expression and walked toward Luffy with firm steps.Luffy looked at the approaching Usopp and remembered the important matter again."Hey, Usopp, what about our pirate flag...""Hey! Luffy!"Usopp was quick-witted and interrupted again, whispering in a mysterious tone while pointing at the thick, ornate door of the castle."See that door?""What about it?" Luffy looked confused.Usopp looked left and right, pulled Luffy aside like a thief, leaned close to his ear, and whispered:"Let me tell you, that door... is cursed!""..." Luffy blinked."It's true!"Seeing Luffy's lack of reaction, Usopp quickly emphasized his tone, gesturing with his hands."Anyone who walks in there... will immediately become a super idiot! The kind that's a hundred times worse than Zoro!"The scene was quiet for three seconds.A drop of cold sweat seeped from Usopp's temple.Just when he thought his cover was blown, Luffyclapped his hands, his expression becoming unprecedentedly serious."It's that serious?""More than that!" Usopp was ecstatic inside, striking while the iron was hot, his expression becoming even more terrified."You'll also... also become ugly! As ugly as this hideous castle!"Luffy immediately showed an expression of extreme disgust."I don't want to be that ugly!""Exactly! Cherish your looks, stay away from the castle!"Usopp nodded approvingly, a flash of inspiration hitting him, and he hurriedly added,"However! I heard that as long as you defeat all the bad guys in the castle, the curse might automatically be lifted!" He blinked his eyes, looking at Luffy with a look full of "suggestions".Luffy blinked his eyes in return.A moment later."Okay! Got it!"Luffy clenched his fists, his rubber body instantly charging up, his gaze locked on the twin brothers who were confronting Pajelu."Watch me beat you all away—!"Inside the castle, upper floors.Robin was moving lightly and quickly up the spiral staircase."Sister Robin~!"A crisp voice came from the corner of the stairs.Lilu was holding Merry's hand, standing there with an innocent smile."Are you going on an adventure game all by yourself?""Lilu, didn't you promise to take me to visit your father's room?"Merry spoke at the right moment and quietly winked at Robin."I see~"Robin understood, a gentle and interested smile appearing on her face."That sounds interesting. Lilu, can you take us to see it together?""Great! Then follow me!"Lilu happily held Merry's hand and skipped ahead to lead the way.Robin smiled and followed calmly.Below the castle, snowy battlefield.With Luffy joining the battle, the pressure on Pajelu, who had been struggling against the twin combo, was greatly reduced."Gum-Gum Battle Axe!" Luffy delivered a powerful downward chop, forcibly separating the magnetically linked Campacchino and Blinder!The battlefield was naturally divided: Pajelu faced Campacchino, while Luffy went after the already severely injured Blinder.Blinder, who was already in poor condition, was no match for Luffy and could only take a beating."Gum-Gum Gatling!"A flurry of punches engulfed Blinder, lifting him off his feet and leaving him unable to fight back."Gum-Gum Rocket!"Luffy flashed and appeared below Blinder. His arms, retracted to their limit, carried terrifying elastic potential energy as they thrust forward, his palms landing squarely on Blinder's abdomen!"Boom—!!!"Blinder flew backward like a human cannonball, slamming heavily into the castle's sturdy metal gate!Accompanied by a deafening roar and flying wood chips and iron fragments, a hole with charred edges was blown into the thick door, and smoke filled the air."Hee hee hee!"Luffy closed one eye, rubbing his finger under his nose with satisfaction. "Watching enemies get blown away is just the best!"He opened his eyes and looked proudly at his "masterpiece"—the hole in the door."Ah—!!!"Luffy's jaw instantly dropped to the ground, his expression terrified."T-Terrible! The door... I broke the door! The curse! Is the curse going to spread out?""Ah! Luffy, listen to me! It's not like that!!"Seeing this, Usopp scrambled over, preparing for a new round of "emergency PUA"."Damn it! Blinder—!"On the other side, Campacchino, seeing his brother severely injured, was anxious to rescue him, but was blocked by a "clatter" of the heavy chain swung by Pajelu."Your opponent is me! You're finished, Campacchino!"Pajelu swung the chain over his head, making a whistling sound, his eyes sharp."The most troublesome thing about you brothers is that weird magnetic cooperation. Now that you're separated, your power is at least halved!""Hmph! Even without magnetism, taking care of you is more than enough!"Campacchino roared, his arm muscles bulging, and threw a straight punch that actually created a shrill sonic boom!Pajelu barely dodged to the side, the wind from the punch making his cheek ache."What?"Pajelu felt a slight chill in his heart; he gripped the chain in his hand a little tighter, his eyes becoming more focused.It seems that even separated, the eldest son of the Achino Family is by no means an easy opponent.Inside the castle, a pink room."This must be it!""Bang!" Nami kicked open a pink door decorated with heart patterns.Inside the room, Alubell and Sarugo were wrapped in a quilt, looking at the intruder in terror."So it really is you shameless couple!" Nami stood with her arms crossed and walked in with a cold smile."How... how did you find this place?" Alubell was pale with fear, clutching the quilt tightly as a fragile shield."D-don't come over!""Don't be afraid~"Nami and Franky, who followed, had smiles on their faces that were "kind" enough to be hair-raising.Blue electric sparks crackled at the tip of Nami's clima-tact, and Franky's mechanical fists clenched with a "creak" as they approached the bed step by step."Go to hell—!!"Just as the two got close, the pitiful-looking Alubelland the pretending-to-be-unconscious Sarugosuddenly attacked!They threw off the quilt, and a cold light flashed in their hands—it was two sharp daggers, which were violently stabbed toward Nami's chest and Franky's face respectively!"Sizzle—!""Clang—!"The blades hit, but the sounds were completely different.Nami's chest was pierced by a dagger, but she looked calm, and the scene of blood spraying that they imagined did not appear—There was only lightning flowing and flickering at the wound. The ability of the Logia Rumble-Rumble Fruit made her completely immune to this kind of physical surprise attack.On Franky's side, his mechanical palm easily clamped the stabbing blade, not moving an inch."That's really... a pity!" Franky grinned, revealing his shiny steel teeth."I am a Super— tough guy!"The following scene is imaginable. After a series of shrill screams and "sizzling" electric sounds, the two on the bed went completely limp, spitting black smoke, and fainted, charred all over."Fainted so quickly..."Franky pulled over a white sheet and covered the two of them casually."We haven't asked about the location of the treasury and the flag yet.""Seriously! Why are they so weak against electricity!" Nami puffed her cheeks in anger."Let's look room by room! We'll find it eventually! It would be best if there's a reserve of cola; the thousand sunny has consumed too much cola along the way." Franky adjusted his sunglasses and strode out the door.Outside the castle, ingredient processing area.With the addition of Sanji, a professional chef, the "Penguin Soccer Match" quickly upgraded into an efficient "Ingredient Processing Assembly Line".Before long, that big ball net was filled to the brim."Phew... that was really tiring." Chopper turned back into his small reindeer form and wiped the sweat from his forehead."A bountiful harvest, isn't it?"Mark rubbed the head of Ink Meteor, who had turned back into a small beast form and was lying at his feet, with satisfaction.Behind Mark, he dragged a huge fishing net filled with dizzy Domon Penguins."Mark, it's a deal,"Sanji lit a cigarette, glanced at him with slightly flickering eyes."I've perfectly replicated the 'Peking Duck' recipe you taught me. As for the flag matter today...""Easy, easy!"Mark understood and patted Sanji's shoulder with a smile."By the way, sweet bean sauce is the key. Do you have any in stock?""Will plum sauce with other seasonings work as a substitute? The conditions here are limited...""Maybe we can try..."The group chatted about the "Peking Duck" modification plan in a disjointed way, and before they knew it, they had returned to the vicinity of the castle gate where Luffy was, carrying the "spoils of war"."Crack!"With a crisp sound, the wreckage of the door smashed by Luffy was crushed by a huge foot.At the same time, there was a clear tremor from the ground."Huh?" The Straw Hat crew's gazes were cast in unison toward the castle gate.A huge, fat, angry face slowly emerged from the shadows inside the door.Don Accino had a thick cigar in his mouth and wore reflective sunglasses.The three tufts of black hair shooting straight up from his head looked like a bizarre brush, and paired with his comical mustache, his appearance was incredibly striking.However, through Luffy's perception filter, none of that mattered.Don Accino glared furiously at Luffy, while Luffylooked him up and down with an expression of disgust, then clapped his hands as if he had just realized something: "You really are ugly! Curses are truly terrifying!""Ugly?"Don Accino, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly flew into a rage, spitting everywhere:"You're the ugly one! Your whole family is ugly!"In a fit of pique, he pulled a small mirror and a comb from under his grass skirt and began carefully grooming his hair and mustache:"I am a recognized elegant and handsome man for a hundred miles around!Otherwise, how could I have such a cute daughter like Alubell and such handsome sons like Blinderand the others!"Thinking of this, he seemed to regain some confidence, stuffed the mirror and comb back, and put on an angry expression again, letting out a "pffft" sound as two streams of scorching steam shot from his ears:"You bastards! To dare to beat my cute children like this! Unforgivable!""Um... if I may interrupt,"Mark walked up slowly, a playful curve on his lips as he looked at Don Accino,"You say your daughter and sons aren't ugly, just you... ahem, could it be some other reason?" He raised his eyebrows pointedly."Mark!" Luffy stretched his rubber neck to Mark's ear and "whispered," in a voice he thought was very quiet: "I told you, it's a curse that makes you ugly as soon as you enter!""A, a curse?" Mark listened, looking completely confused."He, hehe! Go ahead and be jealous!" Don Accinoconfidently flicked his upward-curling mustache."Tch! I don't believe it,"Sanji extinguished his cigarette butt with the toe of his shoe and said calmly,"The beautiful and cute Miss Alubell, and the innocent and lively little sister Lilu, both have beautiful purple hair. It's hard not to make connections...""Hiss—!"Usopp gasped, immediately putting on a detective expression that said "I have already seen through everything," crossing his arms and nodding repeatedly,"I see! So that's how it is!""So that's how it is... what is?" Luffy and Chopperwidened their eyes in sync, looking at Usopp with great curiosity."Haha! Well... maybe you should ask their mother!"Usopp awkwardly scratched the back of his head, praying frantically in his heart: Robin! Hurry up! I can't keep making this up!"I... am... so... pissed... off—!!!"Don Accino's skin instantly turned bright red, like a red-hot branding iron!A startling, intense heat erupted from him, the surrounding ice and snow melted rapidly, and the ice layer on the surface of the building began to drip and vaporize!"Hey, hey! He seems really, super angry!"Usopp hurriedly hid behind Mark, poking only half his head and his long nose out to observe."Hey! Steam Balloon—!!!" Luffy suddenly stepped forward and shouted angrily at Don Accino!Everyone was stunned for a moment, looking at Luffy in confusion.Luffy pointed a trembling finger at Don Accino, his face full of disbelief, shock, and disdain, as he roared out the core point of his concern:"You're actually—streaking!!!""Duang—!!!"Behind him, Usopp, Chopper, Sanji, Mark, and Ink Meteor at his feet all fell over on the spot, thunderstruck by this earth-shattering statement."Straw Hat—!!!"Don Accino's rage meter completely broke through its peak, his belly glowing with blinding light due to the high temperature, and a scorching wave of air rushed toward them, blowing the Straw Hat crew's hair and clothes violently,"It is you who have brought unprecedented humiliation upon my Achino Family!!!"Luffy held down his Straw Hat, which was about to be blown away, and gritted his teeth in the heatwave:"It was you who stole our flag first! Naked big balloon!!!""So what! The weak are not worthy of having a flag!" Don Accino's voice boomed like a bell."Then I'll just beat you flying! And take our flag back—!"Luffy leaned forward slightly, like a beast ready to pounce, his eyes sharp.The battle was on the verge of breaking out.Mark patted Luffy on the shoulder with a "good luck" expression:"I'll leave this to you, Captain. We're going to slip away first."After saying this, he picked up the net bag full of penguins and gave a wink to Chopper, Sanji, and Usopp.The four of them and the beast, with extreme tacit understanding, silently slipped toward the flank of the battlefield, moving away from the central area that was about to become a furnace."Bang—!!!"Meanwhile, in the labyrinthine depths of the castle, Zoro, who had kicked open the wrong door for the umpteenth time, had veins popping clearly on his forehead."Still not it? Damned steam balloon... better not fall into my hands—!!!"He turned around irritably, carrying his swords, and continued on his endless journey of "searching for the boss room."Lilu briskly led Robin and Merry through several corridors,pushed open a door inlaid with stained glass, and entered a warm, humid greenhouse garden filled with exotic plants.Artificial sunlight spilled down through the glass dome, casting dappled light and shadows on the ferns and huge flowers.Robin stopped and scanned the space, which was clearly not a bedroom, with a calm gaze."Lilu, you didn't take us to your father's room, did you?"Her voice was gentle but carried undeniable insight.Lilu turned around, a sweet smile still on her face, but the temperature was gone from her purple eyes, and her voice became cold:"Sister Robin, aren't you lying too? You promised to play with me, but you actually just want to leave me after getting the flag, right?"Her small hands clenched slightly,"Talking about 'friends forever'... my sister used to say she would play with me forever, but ever since that disgusting Sarugo appeared, she never belonged to me alone again."Merry stepped forward, took Lilu's hand, and looked up at her earnestly:"Lilu, the meaning of friendship isn't about being together every moment, but about thinking of each other even when apart.No matter where we are, we will remember having a great time playing with you.""No!"Lilu suddenly threw off Merry's hand, her voice rising sharply, carrying the stubbornness unique to a child and a hint of grievance at not being understood,"I don't want just 'remembering'! I want companionship! Companionship that is forever, that belongs only to me!"She pointed to a small fruit tree with a swing hanging from it in the corner of the greenhouse, her voice dropping,"My sister used to love playing hide-and-seek with me here... but now, only I and these plants that can't talk are left."Her mood suddenly darkened, and she slowly took a step back, her eyes shifting between Robin and Merry:"Sister Robin, Sister Merry... I like you. So, please stay and keep me company, always and forever."As soon as she finished speaking, a sudden change occurred!The soil on the floor of the greenhouse churned, and those vines that had been growing quietly seemed to be instantly injected with evil vitality.Like awakened giant pythons, they shot up rapidly with a "rustling" sound, and thick green tentacles whipped toward Robin and Merry's ankles and waists like lightning.On the coast outside the castle, the chaos continued.Not all Domon Penguins had fallen into Mark's "ingredient net."Many of the escaped "geese," harboring a deep fear of the black glutton Ink Meteor and the terrifying chef Mark, transferred their unvented anger to the broken ship of the Phoenix Pirates, whom they considered "accomplices."Thus, a ridiculous scene emerged:a group of blue penguins was desperately pushing the bottom of the broken ship underwater with their beaks and claws, trying to push it away from the shore;while the crew of the Phoenix Pirates was on the shore, chanting and pulling the ropes with all their might to stabilize the ship."One, two! Heave! These flat-feathered beasts are actually quite strong!" The guy with the Viking helmet was red in the face."Stop talking nonsense! Pull hard! If the ship gets pushed away, how are we going to answer to the Captain!" The fat crew member was sweating profusely.An absurd tug-of-war between humans and penguins over the ownership of the ship unfolded in full swing on the icy coast.Mark and Sanji had already returned to the thousand sunny first.On the deck, Sanji began processing the first batch of "ingredients," pondering the details of the "fruit-wood roasted penguin" described by Mark,while Mark opened the door to the Rainbow Spaceand sent the dizzy Domon Penguins from the net into the special "fresh-keeping area" inside, batch by batch."These are enough to eat for a good while." Markclapped his hands in satisfaction.Ink Meteor had returned to its small beast form but was dutifully crouching on the bow of the thousand sunny, its golden eyes scanning the sea vigilantly.Its task was clear: protect the ship and drive away any "blue thieves" attempting to approach.Occasionally, one or two penguins that wouldn't give up or were panicking would swim close, and Ink Meteor would lift its paw and slash through the air.Three sharp, solid, black crescent-like slashes would cut through the air, hitting the water in front of the penguins with a "pffft, pffft" sound, kicking up high water spouts and scaring them into turning around and scurrying away immediately.Meanwhile, Nami and Franky, who were "splitting up" inside the castle, finally reaped some rewards.Franky discovered a warehouse labeled "Supplies" on the lower level of the castle.It was packed with various supplies: there were even a few unopened barrels of high-purity cola!"Super—!!!" Franky's eyes shone.He immediately displayed his true colors as a shipwright, using the materials in the warehouse and his quick-and-easy craftsmanship to rapidly assemble a sturdy, large sled.He then placed the precious cola barrels and other useful supplies securely on it and, pulling the sled, began searching for an exit in the maze-like corridors.On the other side, Nami, relying on her almost instinctive intuition for money and treasure, as well as a little bit of violent path-clearing, successfully found a hidden room with a heavy metal door—the Achino Family's treasure vault!A huge steel safe stood quietly in the center of the vault, looking impregnable.But for Nami now, this was no longer a problem.Fine blue electric arcs danced on her fingertips, and her eyes were focused."I'll just use you to test my new move... Electro-Surgery: Precision Disassembly!"It was not a violent thunderbolt strike, but rather a technique of extremely compressing and controlling lightning energy to form a subtle, deep blue electric beam containing terrifying penetrating power and high-frequency vibrations, which shot precisely at the lock core of the safe.Amidst the teeth-gritting "sizzling" sound and high heat, the solid alloy was melted through and disintegrated silently, like butter meeting a hot knife."Clang." The safe door opened easily."Waaaaah—!!!"Even though she was mentally prepared, seeing the mountains of gold and silver jewelry and stacks of Berries cash inside, Nami couldn't help but let out a happy exclamation.She quickly took out the extra-large burlap sacks she had prepared in advance and began "loading" with amazing efficiency.Soon, Nami was carrying two bulging, oversized sacks that looked taller than she was.Although she was panting with exhaustion, her face was beaming with a smile brighter than the sun, and she returned with light steps toward the direction of the thousand sunny.